Apparatus and method for removing and storing paste-like material from containers

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for removing and storing soft plastic material, such as tomato paste, for example, from containers is disclosed. The apparatus, which provides means by which the method may be practiced, includes a hopper for receiving and storing the material and a conveyor arranged above the hopper for transporting downwardly facing open containers over the hopper. Restraining means is disposed adjacent the containers for guiding the containers over the hopper and for preventing unrestricted upward and lateral movement of the containers. Pressure means in the form of an ejection head coupled to a source of pressurized steam is arranged within the hopper and below the open containers. Containers are stopped at a position to allow the ejection heads to enter within the confines of the container while steam is being discharged and thereby force any residual paste off of the interior of the containers and into the hopper. The pressure means of the disclosed apparatus includes a pair of parallel pressure heads whereby two successively spaced containers are subjected simultaneously to pressurized steam.

te States Patent 1 Steinle et al.

[ July 31, 1973 [75] Inventors: John T. Steinle; Carl 11. Brooks, both of Fremont, Ohio [73] Assignee: H. J. Heinz Company, Pittsburgh,

[22] Filed: Jan. 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 104,393

[52] U.S. Cl 214/302, 15/304, 214/308 [51] Int. Cl 1365f 3/02 [58] Field of Search 15/304; 214/302, 214/305, 310, 308

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,513 11/1953 Ball 15/304 1,280,731 10/1918 Herr 15/304 2,066,283 12/1936 Wadman.... 15/304 1,689,757 10/1928 Taylor 15/304 1,352,378 9/1920 Postma 214/305 Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant ExaminerLawrence J. Oresky Attorney-Parmelee, Utzler 8c Welsh [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus and method for removing and storing soft plastic material, such as tomato paste, for example, from containers is disclosed. The apparatus, which provides means by which the method may be practiced, includes a hopper for receiving and storing the material and a conveyor arranged above the hopper for transporting downwardly facing open containers over the hopper. Restraining means is disposed adjacent the containers for guiding the containers over the hopper and for preventing unrestricted upward and lateral movement of the containers. Pressure means in the form of an ejection head coupled to asource of pressurized steam is arranged within the hopper and below the open containers. Containers are stopped at a position to allow the ejection heads to enter within the confines of the container while steam is being discharged and thereby force any residual paste off of the interior of the containers and into the hopper. The pressure means Of the disclosed apparatus includes a pair of parallel pressure heads whereby two successively spaced containers are subjected simultaneously to pressurized steam.

v 2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENIEU 3 I 3. 749.264

sum 1 0r 3 lNVENTORS JOHN r STEVNLE'and CARL H.8RO0KS 6 their Attorneys PAnimiu vm 3.749.264

SHEEI 3 OF 3 AIR SUPPL Y 1&[5

INVENTORS JOHN T. STE/IVLE and their Attorneys APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REMOVING AND STORING PASTE-LIKE MATERIAL FROM CONTAINERS This invention relates to a method and apparatus for removing and storing soft plastic material, such as food pastes, for example, from open containers, and particularly to such method and apparatus whereby substantially any remaining material within the cans is cleaned from the interior surface of the containers and discharged into a storage area.

Various industrial processes use soft plastic materials as an ingredient in the many various processes practiced. Typical of such a material is a food paste, such as tomato paste, for example, used in the many different recipes followed by the food processing industry. Usually the paste is packaged in large cans such as number or 12 size cans, and when needed in a particular process are opened and dumped into a large storage hopper from where it is directed in controlled amounts into a processing vessel. The more common ways of dumping the paste into a storage hopper are to open the cans and dump the paste into the hopper and wash any residual paste from the cans by spraying water into them; open the cans and dump the paste and then scrape out the residual paste; or open one end of the can and face the open end toward a hopper, and then open the other end of the can and force the paste out of the can and into the hopper. A problem common to all of these methods of dumping the paste out of containers is that of getting all of the paste out of the containers, i.e., getting maximum yield. All of the mentioned methods fall short of getting virtually all of the paste out of the cans. In addition, the method of washing the cans with water results in an excessive dilution of the paste which may adversely effect the recipe of the process. Also, the method of forcing the paste out of the can by opening both ends is undesirable because of the danger of contamination of the paste with bits of metal.

We overcame the above mentioned drawbacks inherent in the old methods of removing paste from cans by virtue of our present invention. The apparatus of our invention provides a combination of elements which enables the maximum amount of paste to be removed from cans with a minimum of dilution of the paste and no contamination with .bits of metal. More particularly, we provide apparatus for receiving soft solid material from containers and for cleaning material out of the containers, preferably comprising: open top, ground supported table means; hopper means supported by the table for receiving and selectively discharging material; selectively movable conveyor means arranged above said hopper means for transporting downwardly facing open containers over the hopper; restraining means for at least restraining the containers against any unlimited upward movement thereof, with such restraining means being arranged such that the containers are restrained when they are in at least one position with respect to the hopper; and pressure means arranged below the conveyor and intermediate .the ends of the hopper for directing pressurized fluid onto the inner walls of the container while it is at a restrained position to force residual material out of the container and into the hopper. In preferred form our apparatus includes a conveyor having a path of travel over the hopper lying in a generally horizontal plane, and restraining bars disposed above the conveyor adjacent the tops of the containers and opposite the conveyor adjacent the sides of the containers. Also included in our preferred apparatus is a pressure means connected to a source of regulated pressurized steam, which pressure means includes a pair of parallel elongated head members supported by a carriage arranged on the table for up and down movement with respect thereto. Control means are also provided in the preferred embodiment such that when the pressure heads are in their lowermost position the conveyor is actuated to move a container into a position over the first of the pressure heads. At such time, the carriage supporting the pressure heads is actuated to move upwardly while the steam is turned on. The head member enters the can and steam is ejected onto the inner walls of the container to force off residual paste remaining thereon. At the uppermost point of travel of the carriage the steam is shut off and the direction of movement of the carriage is reversed. At the lowermost position of the carriage the conveyor is actuated again and a container is positioned in the first location with the container just subjected to steam pressure moved to a next location directly above the second pressure head. Both pressure heads are then moved into the successively spaced containers, spraying steam into both. Thus, each container is subjected to a double steam spray which insures that virtually all of the paste is removed from each container.

The method of our invention is performed most effectively by the apparatus just described. Other apparatus may also be used to perform the steps of our method which preferably comprise: placing an open, soft plastic solid material-filled container, with the open end facing downwardly, onto the feed station of a hopper means; transporting theopen container over the hopper to a first position and securing the container in that position; injecting a pressurized fluid, preferably steam, into the container while it is at the first position to cause substantially all of the material within the container to be removed from the container and deposited into the hopper; and discharging the empty container from the hopper means. The preferred method includes a second steam injection step for each container to insure complete washing of each.

Other details and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description of the present preferred embodiment and a preferred method of practicing same proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown a present preferred embodiment of this invention and have illustrated a present preferred method of the same in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an apparatus for removing paste-like material from containers embodying the present invention, with parts broken away to show details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG.- 1; FIG. 3 is a view looking along the line lll--lll of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevation view of the conveyor drive mechanism of the apparatus of the above figures;

FIG. 5 is a view looking along the line V--V of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic-diagrammatic view of a control system for use with the apparatus of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views, 20 generally relates to an apparatus for receiving soft, plastic material, such as food paste, for example, from containers, such as number or 12 cans for example, and for cleaning any residual paste out of the cans. Apparatus includes an open top table 22 adapted for being supported on a floor surface by four adjustable legs 24. Table 22 includes a transversely extending tray 26 at one end thereof upon which cans of paste may be placed and slid into engagement with a conveyor, to be described later. Table 22 also includes a hopper 28 having downwardly tapering side walls terminating in a discharge pipe 30. End walls 28a and 28b of the hopper 28 are disposed with the upper edges thereof being adjacent the ends of table 22, while the side walls 280 and 28d of the hopper are arranged with their upper edge adjacent the sides of the table. The discharge pipe 30 may be coupled to a suitable pump 31, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 6, for pumping the stored paste to a processing vat, or the like.

A chain conveyor 32 is supported by table 22 for transporting cans of paste across the hopper 28. Conveyor 32 includes a plurality of outwardly extending, regularly spaced flights or lugs 34 which serve to engage cans guided over the surface of tray 26 and move the cans on support slats or rods 36 over the hopper 28. Rods 36 are supported by table 22 and extend over the forward portion of the hopper 28, as viewed in FIG. 2 and between the end walls 28a and 28b thereof. Conveyor 32 is driven through a drive assembly 40 supported at the right side of table 22, as viewed in FIG. 1. An idler assembly 42 is supported at the left side of table 22 to operatively engage the conveyor 32. ldler assembly 42 includes an elongated shaft 44 vertically arranged for rotation in a pair of spaced pillow blocks 46 and 48 bolted to the framework of table 22. An idler sprocket wheel 50 is fixed to the upper end of shaft 44 to operatively engage the links of conveyor 32.

Drive assembly 40 is shown enlarged in FIGS. 4 and 5, and includes an elongated shaft 52 vertically arranged for rotation within a pair of identical pillow blocks 54 and 55 bolted to the framework of table 22. A sprocket wheel 56 is fixed to the upper end of shaft 52 and arranged to operatively engage the links of conveyor 32. The power means for driving shaft 52 is a double acting hydraulic cylinder 60 coupled to a source of hydraulic fluid, not shown, and mounted at the cylinder end by a clevis and pin connector 62 suitably mounted on an L-shaped pad 64 fixed to a structural beam of the framework of table 22. The rod end of cylinder 60 is connected with a pair of vertically spaced arms 66. The connection between the rod end of cylinder 60 and arms 66 is effected by a pin assembly 70 including a central sleeve 72 arranged between and coaxial with tubular bosses 74 fixed to the left end portion, as viewed in FIG. 4, of arms 66. Pins 76 extend from threaded bores formed in opposite ends of sleeve 72 into the openings through bosses 74. A threaded opening extends through the transverse axis of sleeve 72. A bolt 77 received in the transverse opening of sleeve 72 extends into an axial opening in the end of the rod of cylinder 60 to secure the rod to sleeve 72. The right ends of arms 66 have tubular bosses 79 fixed thereto which are sized to surround shaft 52 in the manner shown. Thus, arms 66 are rotatably mounted with respect to shaft 52. The arms 66 will, however, transmit a driving force from the cylinder 60 to the shaft 52 by virtue of the cooperating elements to be presently described. A plate member 80 having a main section 81 and and offset 82 is pivotally supported between arms 66. The offset 82 of plate member 80 is shaped to engage the outer surface of sleeve 84 which is fixed to drive shaft 52. Sleeve 84 has three radial, longitudinally extending slots 85 shaped to receive the free end of offset 82. The plate member 80 is urged against the surface of sleeve 84 by means of a pair of helical coil springs 86, each of which is fixed at one end to a finger 88 secured to each arm 66 while the other end is fixed to a rod 90 secured to the main section 81 of plate member 80. Thus, when the rod of cylinder 60 is extended, plate member 80 will transmit a driving force to rotate drive shaft 52 a fixed amount in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 5. When the rod cylinder 60 is retracted, offset 82 of plate member 80 will withdraw from a slot 85 and arms 66 will rotate with respect to shaft 52 and return to their original position. That is, drive shaft 52 will only rotate in a counter-clockwise direction and will remain stationary when the rod of cylinder 60 is retracted to return arms 66 to their original position. The stroke of cylinder 60, the spacing of slots 85 and size and shape of arms 66 and plate member 80, are designed such that a can transported by conveyor 32 will be moved a fixed distance over hopper 28 along rods 36 for each stroke of cylinder 60. The significance of the measured movement of the cans over the hopper 28 will be better appreciated as this description continues. As an optional safety feature, brake assembly 97 is arranged on the framework of table 22 to engage drive shaft 52 to secure same against any undesired movement of the conveyor 32.

Lower arm 66 has a trip lug 92 fixed at an outer end portion thereof and sized to engage the trip finger of a limit switch 96 supported on a cross beam of the framework of table 22. Trip lug 92 is arranged so that it will trip limit switch 96 when the rod of cylinder 60 is fully extended. Limit switch 96 forms part of the apparatus control system which will be more fully described hereinafter.

Arranged on table 22 is a steam ram assembly, generally designated by numeral 100. The function of steam ram assembly 100 is to effect an injection of pressurized steam into the cans of paste as they are transported over hopper 28 to thereby force out any residual paste adhering to the inner walls of the cans. Steam ram assembly 100-includes a pair of steam heads 102 which when the assembly is fully retracted are arranged within hopper 28 and below the plane of the path of travel of conveyor 32, the steam heads being mounted on vertically extending spaced steam lines 103 coupled with a horizontal manifold 104 which in turn is connected by a section of steam line 106 to a vertical steam line 108 connected through a flexible line 111 to a source of pressurized steam, not shown. The steam head assemblylOO is supported by table 22 for selective upward and downward movement with respect to the path of travel of conveyor 32. Thus, steam head 102 may be moved into and out of paste cans as they are transported by conveyor 32 over hopper 28. The drive arrangement for the steam head assembly includes a carriage comprised of a pair of spaced horizontal arms fixed at one end to upper and intermediate sections of vertical steam line 108. The other ends of arms 110 are bifurcated and support rollers 112 which fit within the spacing of vertical channel-like rail members 113. The spaced rail members 113 are supported by table 22 and are shaped to define trackways for the rollers 112. Vertical metal strips 116 are secured to the outer, bifurcated ends sections of arms 1 to provide additional support thereto. The rod end of a double acting cylinder 120 is fixed to the lower end of the strips 116, while the cylinder end of the cylinder is fixed as with a clevis connection 122 to a pad 124 extending outwardly from and fixed to a longitudinal cross member of the framework of table 22. The lower ends of rail members 113 are also supported on pad 124. Cylinder 120 is connected with a source of pressurized fluid, such as air. An outwardly extending foot member 130 is fixed to a bifurcated section of the lower arm 110 and includes an upper finger 132 in the form of a bolt arranged to trip limit switch 140 arranged on outer rail member 113 when cylinder 120 is fully extended. Similarly, the lower portion of foot member 130 is arranged to trip limit switch 142 also arranged on outer rail member 113 when cylinder 120 is fully retracted. Limit switches 140 and 142 form part of the control system which will be completely described hereinafter.

A can guide 150 is provided and serves to guide cans along the rods 36 as they are being transported over hopper 28 by conveyor 30. The can guide 150 also provides means for preventing the cans from being lifted upwardly when they are being subjected to a steam spray by steam head 102. Can guide 150 includes a pair of box-shaped support members 151 supported by table 22 and arranged inwardly adjacent the ends thereof. The support members 151 are formed of metal strips comprising two vertically extending side strips 152 and 154 which rest on the sides of table 22 and a connecting horizontal strip 156 arranged above the plane of the top of table 22. A retaining member 160 formed of a strip of metal is supported by the support members 151 by means of adjustable bolts 164 extending through openings in connecting strip 156 and nuts 162 arranged on the bolts on opposite sides of the strip 156. Retaining member 160 is disposed generally centrally over the pathv of movement of the cans by conveyor 32. The retaining member 160 may be adjusted to accommodate various size cans by appropriately turning the nuts 162 on the bolts 164. The can guide 150 also includes means for retaining cans from moving off of the side of the table 22, such retaining means being in the form of a metal strip 165 extending longitudinally of table 22 and bolted to the side strips 152 of support members 151.

Enclosures may be provided for protecting the apparatus from danger of damage, for insuring cleanliness of the apparatus, for safety of people when they approach the apparatus and the like. For example, the end section of conveyor 32 and idler assembly could be protected by hollow enclosures 166 and 168, shown in phantom outline. Similarly, the top of table 22 could be covered by a vertical-hood 170,-also shown in phantom outline.

FIG. 6 is a schematic-diagrammatic of a control system for use with the apparatus 20. The control system will be best explained by describingthe sequence of operation of the apparatus beginning with an open container of paste being positioned downstream of the first steam head 102 (i.e. the steam head on the left as viewed in FIG. 1), and the steamram assembly 100 in its lowermost position, as shown in the figures, with the lower portion of foot 130 engaging limit switch 142. Limit switch 142 is activated to operate air control valve 200 which opens to effect passage of air through needle regulating valve 101 to cylinder 60. The rod of cylinder 60 is extended to rotate drive shaft 52 through ratchet sleeve 84. Drive shaft 52 moves conveyor 32 an incremental amount to position the container above the first steam head 102. At that point finger 92 on ratchet sleeve 84 contacts limit switch 96 which in turn activates air control valve 200 to shift the air flow through needle regulating valve 203 to the rod side of cylinder 60 to effect retraction of the rod. Limit switch 96 also activates air control valve 202 which opens to permit flow of air through needle regulating valve 204 to the piston side of cylinder 120 to effect the raising of steam ram assembly 100. In addition, activating of control valve 202 results in the flow of air through needle regulating valves 206 and 207 to diaphram valve 210 which opens to allow steam to flow through flexible hosing 111 to steam line 108 to pass ultimately out of steam head 102 and into the container. The steam pressure could be regulated as desired and would be dependent on the type of material being cleaned out of the cans and the construction of the steam ram assembly 100. In this embodiment the steam pressure at diaphram valve 210 is between and psig. Steam continues to be directed into the container until the steam ram assembly 100 reaches its upper stroke which is established by the location of limit switch 140 where finger 132 on foot member contacts the limit switch 140. Limit switch activates control valve 202 which shifts the flow of air to the rod of cylinder 120 to cause retraction thereof and reversal of direction of movement of steam ram assembly 100 towards its lowermost position. Also, limit switch 140 by activating control valve 202 effects the shutting of diaphram valve 210. Steam ram assembly 1100 moves to its lowermost position where limit switch 142 is contacted whereby the sequence just described is repeated. Another turned-down open container would be positioned above the first steam head 102 while the container just cleaned with steam would be positioned above the second steam head to be cleaned again. Thus, each container is given a double cleaning to insure that virtually all of the paste is removed from the container. It should be noted at the juncture, however, that two steam heads 102 are not a critical number of heads. One or more could be used as desired.

To start the sequence of operation the hopper discharge pump 31 is started by closing switch 220 which opens solenoid valve 222 allowing air to flow from the source, not shown, through filters 224 and 226 and regulator 228 to the control valves 200 and 202. With the discharge pump 31 off, bypass valve 230 may be opened to operate the apparatus. To stop the sequence of operation, bypass valve-230 is closed and pump 31 shut off. The solenoid valve 222 will close shutting off the air supply to control valves 200 and 202. To discharge paste from the hopper 30 without operating the conveyor, main valve 232 would be shut and pump 31 operated.

While we have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of this invention and have illustrated a certain present method of practicing the same, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for receiving soft plastic solid material from containers and for cleaning any residual material out of the containers for food processing use, comprisln I ipcn top, ground supported table means; hopper means supported by said table means for receiving and selectively discharging material;

selectively movable conveyor means arranged above said hopper means for transporting downwardly facing open containers over said hopper means;

restraining means for limiting at least the upward movement of the containers in at least one position of the containers with respect to said hopper means;

elongated pressurized steam injection means arranged on an upwardly and downwardly movable carriage below said conveyor means and intermediate the ends of said hopper means, said elongated pressurized steam injection means shaped to fit within the transported containers and elongated so that when raised upward into the container the upper head portion of the elongated pressurized steam injection means with pressurized steam injection openings therein is spaced proximate the closed end wall of the container for directing pressurized steam against the inner walls of the container to force residual material out of the container and into said hopper means;

first actuator means operative with said upwardly and downwardly movable carriage and responsive to the sensing of the lowermost position of said carriage for activating said conveyor means to position a container in a first position relative to said hopper means and in alignment with said head member;

second actuator means operative with said conveyor means and responsive to sensing of the position of said conveyor means whereat a container is positioned above the elongated steam injection means for activating said carriage to move the injection means upwardly into the container and for concurrently initiating injection of pressurized steam into the container; and

third actuator means operative with said upwardly and downwardly movable carriage and responsive to the sensing of the uppermost position of said carriage for shutting off the pressurized steam and concurrently activating the carriage to move downwardly.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a pair of generally parallel elongated pressurized steam injection means is supported by said carriage means and arranged such that a pair of successively spaced containers is acted upon substantially simultaneously by the steam injection means.

* IR k 

1. Apparatus for receiving soft plastic solid material from containers and for cleaning any residual material out of the containers for food processing use, comprising: open top, ground supported table means; hopper means supported by said table means for receiving and selectively discharging material; selectively movable conveyor means arranged above said hopper means for transporting downwardly facing open containers over said hopper means; restraining means for limiting at least the upward movement of the containers in at least one position of the containers with respect to said hopper means; elongated pressurized steam injection means arranged on an upwardly and downwardly movable carriage below said conveyor means and intermediate the ends of said hopper means, said elongated pressurized steam injection means shaped to fit within the transported containers and elongated so that when raised upward into the container the upper head portion of the elongated pressurized steam injection means with pressurized steam injection openings therein is spaced proximate the closed end wall of the container for directing pressurized steam against the inner walls of the container to force residual material out of the container and into said hopper means; first actuator means operative witH said upwardly and downwardly movable carriage and responsive to the sensing of the lowermost position of said carriage for activating said conveyor means to position a container in a first position relative to said hopper means and in alignment with said head member; second actuator means operative with said conveyor means and responsive to sensing of the position of said conveyor means whereat a container is positioned above the elongated steam injection means for activating said carriage to move the injection means upwardly into the container and for concurrently initiating injection of pressurized steam into the container; and third actuator means operative with said upwardly and downwardly movable carriage and responsive to the sensing of the uppermost position of said carriage for shutting off the pressurized steam and concurrently activating the carriage to move downwardly.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a pair of generally parallel elongated pressurized steam injection means is supported by said carriage means and arranged such that a pair of successively spaced containers is acted upon substantially simultaneously by the steam injection means. 